Getting an FAA private pilot certificate

From your first lesson to the checkride, see what you need to earn an FAA private pilot certificate for single-engine land airplanes.

You can start flying with an instructor before you have a student pilot certificate or a medical certificate. You’ll need to have a student pilot certificate and meet the medical requirements before you fly solo.

Under the standard Part 61 route, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) requires at least 40 hours of flight time for a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. You must pass a knowledge test and a practical test, and be at least 17 to earn the certificate.

From your first lesson to your first solo

You can get an airplane student pilot certificate at 16. Apply through the FAA’s Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application system (IACRA) or use FAA Form 8710-1. A certificated flight instructor is one of the people authorized to process your application. See §61.83 and the FAA’s student pilot guidance.

Both certificates require you to read, speak, write, and understand English. The FAA can issue a certificate with operating limitations when a medical reason prevents you from meeting one of those requirements. See §61.83 and §61.103.

Before your first solo, you’ll need to pass a knowledge test given by your instructor and show that you can perform the required maneuvers and procedures. Your instructor then endorses your logbook for solo flight. You’ll need more training and endorsements before flying cross-country on your own. See §61.87 and §61.93.

Medical requirements for solo flight

For a first-time applicant, the usual route is an FAA third-class medical certificate. If you have questions about your eligibility, talk to an aviation medical examiner before you commit to a course. See §61.23.

If you’ve held an FAA medical certificate after July 14, 2006, you may qualify for BasicMed. You’ll also need a U.S. driver’s license and must complete the required medical exam and education course. If you qualify and the flight meets BasicMed’s operating limits, you can use it for solo flights, the practical test in an aircraft, and eligible flights as a private pilot. See the FAA’s BasicMed guidance.

Choose a flight school and prepare for the knowledge test

When you talk to a school, ask whether you’d train under Part 61 or enroll in an approved Part 141 course. Ask which costs are included in the quote. Aircraft rental and instructor time may be listed separately from ground school, the medical exam, and test fees.

Under Part 61, you can prepare for the knowledge test by logging ground training with an authorized instructor or completing a home-study course. An authorized instructor must endorse you before you take the test. The FAA lists the topics you’ll study in §61.105 and the maneuvers and procedures you’ll practice in §61.107.

Complete the flight training

For the standard Part 61 single-engine airplane course, §61.109(a) requires 40 hours total, including 20 hours with an authorized instructor and 10 hours solo. The table shows what you’ll do during those hours. Distances are in nautical miles (NM).

The five solo cross-country hours are part of your ten solo hours. Night flying and the other instructor-led exercises count toward the 20 hours with an instructor.

You may need more than 40 hours before you’re ready for the practical test.

§61.109(k) allows limited simulator or training-device credit and includes a separate provision for approved Part 142 courses. §61.110 allows an exception for applicants who both live and train in Alaska. If they omit night training, the FAA issues the certificate with a night-flying limitation.

An approved Part 141 airplane course can have a 35-hour flight-training minimum, with a prescribed curriculum and stage checks. See Part 141 Appendix B.

Get ready for the checkride

The practical test is often called the checkride. It assesses your knowledge, risk management, and flying skills. Use the FAA’s Airman Certification Standards to see what the examiner will assess. The airplane private pilot standard is FAA-S-ACS-6C, effective May 31, 2024.

When you schedule your checkride, check the date on your knowledge test report. You normally need to have passed the knowledge test within the 24 calendar months preceding the month you complete the practical test. Your instructor must endorse your readiness and confirm that you’ve addressed the topics you missed. See §61.39.

Complete your application through IACRA or the applicable FAA form process with your instructor and examiner. Bring your knowledge test report and make sure you can show that you’ve met the flight experience, endorsement, and medical requirements.

Flying after you earn your certificate

You can carry passengers when you meet the applicable takeoff and landing requirements. Night passenger flights have their own requirements. The flight review is a separate check you normally need on a 24-calendar-month cycle. Certain tests and other activities can satisfy that requirement. See §61.57 and §61.56.

Check your aircraft rating, certificate limitations, required endorsements, and medical qualification before flying. The standard course includes night flying. Flying under instrument flight rules requires an instrument rating.

A private pilot generally can’t act as pilot in command for compensation or hire or carry passengers or property for compensation or hire. If you plan to share expenses with passengers, check which costs you can share and how much you must pay. See §61.113.

Official references

The FAA guidance and federal regulations linked throughout this guide were checked on November 6, 2026.